Device for operating motors for sewing-machines and the like.



W. LENHART.

DEVICE FOR OPERATING MOTORS FOR SEWING MACHINES AND THE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 31, 1909.

Patented May 10, 1910;

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I Dv a f W. LBNHART. DEVICE FOR OPERATING MOTORS FOR SEWING MACHINES ANDTHE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 31, 1909.

957,223. Patented May 10, 1910.

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WILLIAM LENHART, 0F CUYAHOGA FALLS, OHIO.

DEVICE FOR OPERATING MOTORS FOR SEWING-MACHINES AND THE LIKE.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM LENHART, a citizen of the United States,residing at Cuyahoga Falls, in the county of Summit and State of Ohio,have invented new and useful Improvements in Devices for OperatingMotors for Sewing-lWachines and the Like, of which the following is aspecificatlon.

This invention relates to mechanism for supporting, operating andcontrolling motors used to operate light machinery, involving a drivenwheel, such as a sewing machine, and the object of the invention is tosupport a motor provided with a friction wheel adapted to be thrown intoand out of engaging relation with the driven wheel of the machinery,said mechanism provided with a brake adapted to be thrown into brakingengagement with said driven wheel when said motor is out of engagementthere with and to be free from said wheel when the same is driven bysaid motor.

The invention especially contemplates providing a suitable support for amotor arranged to be positioned upon a suitable part, preferably thetable of a sewing machine, said motor provided with a brake arranged toengage the driven wheel of the sewing machine alternately with respectto said motor, said support so provided that the motor and brake may beswung away from the driven wheel of the sewing machine, to the end thatthe same may be operated by the conventional foot-treadle through themedium of a belt in the ordinary manner, neither the motor nor thetreadle interfering with the perfect operation of the other, but eachcapable of being used independently of the other.

The invention further contemplates positioning a motor on an oscillatinglever so that when the same is tilted in one direction it will throw afriction wheel carried by the motor shaft into engagement with thedriven wheel of a sewing machine and adapted to be returned to itsinoperative position by its own weight and simultaneously therewithcause the engagement of a brake carried by the motor for arrestingrevolution of the wheel.

The invention further contemplates that the oscillation of the lever tothrow the brake and motor alternately into operative position may becontrolled by an arm, preferably arranged to be operated by the kneeSpecification of Letters Patent.

Application filed December 31, 1909.

Patented May 10, 1910.

Serial No. 535,854.

of the user of the device so as not to interfere in any way with the useof the feet in operating the treadle of the machine when using the samein the ordinary manner.

A still further object of the invention is to connect the oscillatinglever on which the motor is supported, with the arm by which the leveris oscillated to bring the motor and brake alternately into operativeposition with respect to the driven wheel of a machine, in such a mannerthat when the lever and its supporting medium are swung to one side topermit of the use of the sewing machine in the ordinary manner, thetension on the connection will be maintained substantially equally atall times, thereby permitting the free swinging of the motor and itssupport away from the driven wheel without interfering in any way withits return to operative position and perfect usefulness.

lVith the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention consists inthe novel construction, combination and arrangement of partsconstituting the invention to be hereinafter specifically described andillustrated in the accompanying drawings which form a part hereofwherein is shown the preferred embodiment of the invention, but it is tobe understood that changes, variations and modifications can be resortedto which come within the scope of the claims hereunto appended.

In the drawings in which similar reference numerals indicate like partsin the different figures: Figure l is a perspective view of my improveddevice in operative relation with respect to the driven wheel of asewing machine, the sewing machine being shown in dotted lines to betterillustrate the application of this device. Fig. 2 is a perspective viewof the supporting means for the motor; and, Fig. 3 is a view similar toFig. 1 showing the device in its inoperative position.

It will be stated that the description of this device applies to itsemployment in connection with a sewing machine as being the best meansfor illustrating the use of the same, but the device may be used withequal efiicacy on any other light machinery which embodies a drivenwheel as one of its elements.

Referring to the drawings in detail, the reference numeral 1 denotes thetable of a sewing machine of the drop-head type provided with an opening2 through which the head 3 is permitted to descend under control ofmechanism of the conventional type. The head 3 of the machine isprovided with the customary driven wheel 4 having a grooved pin c; 5 toreceive a belt (5 driven by a driving wheel 7 operated by an oscillatingtreadle 8. The table 1 is supported by the ordinary framework 9 whichconstitutes a support for t 1e axle of the driving wheel and alsosupports a laterally-e tending frame 10 provided with openings toreceive drawers (not shown).

The preferred construction for the supporting element of th devicecomprises aase 11 usually secured to the upper surface of the table 1and on which is mounted a member 12 to which is pivotally-connected bymeans of hinges 13 a supporting member 1%. lilounted on the member 12are a pair 0 abutments 15 having the faces which are adjacent to themember 1% slightly inclined and arranged to constitute stops orabutments for limiting the pivotal movement of the latter. lllounted onthe member 1a is a standard, preferably embodying a pair ofupwardly-extending ears 16 extending between which is a pin 17. Thesupport for the motor comprises a lever 18 preferably provided with anenlarged portion having an aperture to receive the pin 17 and adapted topivot thereon. This lever 18 is provided at one end with an aperture 19designed to receive a connecting means for a motor. The opposite end ofthe lever 18 is provided with a horizontallyturned end 20 having meansnear its terminus to receive a cord, chain or wire rope 21 which dependstherefrom. The opposite end of the wire rope 21 is connected to acrank-shaped end 22 of a rock shaft 23 preferably mounted rotatably inbearings 2a secured to a part of the lateral frame 10. The opposite endof the rock shaft 23 is provided with an operating arm 25 having a pad26 provided on its rear face with a lug 27 having an aperture to receivethe end of the operating arm 25 and detachably secured thereto throughthe medium of a set screw 28.

Mounted on the free end of the lever 18 is a motor 29 preferablyarranged to be operated by an electric current conveyed thereto bycurrent-conducting wires 30. This motor is provided with an armatureshaft 31 which bears a friction wheel 32 provided with a hub 33 fastenedin a desired position on the shaft 31 by means of a set screw 34: topermit longitudinal adjustment of the friction wheel 32 with respect tothe armature shaft. The motor 29 is also preferably provided with a pairof lugs 35 to which is secured by means of holdfast devices an arm 36the outer end of which is preferably laterally curved to constitute abraking member and with a pad 87 constituting a brake shoe.

In operation the base 11 is preferably secured on the upper face of thetable 1 in such a position with respect to the driven wheel f that thefriction wheel 32 will be substantially in alinement therewith and soclose thereto that when the motor is rocked by the lever 18 the frictionwheel-32 will be forced into engaging relation with the periphery of thedriven wheel 1 to cause simultaneous rotation of the latter.

The position of the laterally-curved end of the braking member as willbe such that when the motor is oscillated so as to separate the frictionwheel. 32 from the driven wheel a: it will frictionally-engage thedriven wheel and prevent further rotation thereof; that is to say,either the friction wheel or braking member will alternately engage thedriven wheel to cause either a rotation or a cessation of the movementthereof alternately.

The motor and braking members are throw alternately into and out ofengagement with resect to the driven wheel by means of the rock shaft 23the outer end of which is provided with a pad 26 so positioned withrespect to the frame of the machine that it can be easily reached by theknee of the user of the machine.

lVhen desired to start the operation of the sewing machine the operatorpresses his or her knee against the pad 26 causing partial rotation ofthe rock shaft 23 which swings the crank 22 downwardly causing acorresponding oscillation of the lever 18, thereby bringing the frictionwheel 32 into engaging relation with the driven wheel .Vhen desired tostop the operation of the sewing machine the operator releases thepressure on the pad 26 and the weight of the motor causes a reverseoscillation of the lever 18, thereby withd ving the friction wheel 32from contactwith the driven wheel a and simultaneously forces thebraking member 36 into operative relation with respect thereto.

If desired at any time to use the sewing machine in the conventionalmanner without employing the motor, the pivoted supporting member 1 1may be tilted up as shown in Fig. 3 without stopping the rotation of themotor and the driven wheel 4: may be rotated through the medium of thebelt 6 and treadle 8 in the ordinary manner.

It will also be apparent that by throwing the motor into the position inFig. 3 the drop-head now employed on certain types of machines may belowered and the cover placed over the machine without interfering withthis device which is thrown entirely out of reach of the descendingcover.

It will be particularly pointed out that the motor by reason of itsweight and being mounted upon a pivoted lever will normally throw itselfout of engagement with the driven wheel upon a release of pressure onthe pad 26 and that the only effort necessary on the part of the user ofthe device to set the sewing machine in motion is to move the pad,preferablyby the use of the knee to the right, which oscillates thelever 18 bringing the motor into operative engagement with the drivenwheel 4 and simultaneously releases the braking mechanism therefrom.

Experience has demonstrated that in using substantially the elementsembodied in this device it is frequently necessary to change themslightly or modify them to a certain extent in order to adapt them todifferent types of sewing machines, in view of the fact that nearly allmakes of sewing machines differ from each other in some minor detailwith reference to the style of the table, the size thereof and theposition of the head of the sewing machine carried thereby, and in viewof such circumstances the supporting medium for the device mustnecessarily be varied to accommodate it to the peculiar type of sewingmachine with which it is to be employed; however, this invention is notlimited to the precise details of construction so long as the generalfeatures of construction shown herein are substantially adhered to.

I claim:

1. A device of the class described comprising asupporting mediumarranged to be positioned adjacent to a driven wheel, a pivoted leverarranged for vertical oscillation mounted on said support, a motormounted on said lever, a friction wheel on the shaft of said motorarranged when said motor is oscillated in one plane to be thrown intoand withdrawn from operative engagement with said wheel and a brakingmember arranged to be moved into and out of operative engagement withsaid wheel alternately with respect to the engagement of said frictionwheel therewith.

2. A device of the class described comprising a hinged supporting mediumarranged to be positioned adjacent to a driven wheel, a pivoted leverarranged for vertical oscillation mounted on said support, a motormounted on said lever, a friction wheel on the shaft of said motorarranged when said motor is oscillated in one plane to be thrown intoand withdrawn from operative engagement with said wheel and a brakingmember arranged to be moved into and out of operative engagement withsaid wheel alternately with respect to the engagement of said frictionwheel therewith.

3. A device of the class described comprising a pivoted lever arrangedto be mounted adjacent to the driven wheel, said lever arranged tooscillate in a plane parallel with the plane of said wheel, a motormounted on said lever, a friction wheel mounted on the shaft of saidmotor, a braking member carried by said motor, said friction wheel andbraking member arranged to be alternately brought into operativerelation with said driven wheel by the oscillation of said lever andmeans connected with said lever and mounted on the support for saiddriven wheel for oscillating said lever.

41:. A device of the class described comprising a pivoted lever, ahinged support therefor, a friction wheel positioned adjacent to saidsupport, a motor mounted on said lever, a friction wheel carried by theshaft of said motor, a braking member mounted on the latter, saidfriction wheel and braking member arranged to alternately engage saiddriven wheel due to the oscillations of said pivoted lever and meansconnected with said lever for oscillating the same when said hingedsupport is in one position, said support capable of being swung to aposition to prevent-engagement between said friction wheel, brake anddriven wheel.

5. The combination with a sewing machine provided with a driven wheeland a table adjacent thereto, a support embodying a fixed and hingedportion, the fixed portion secured to said table, a pivoted levermounted on the hinged portion of said support, a motor mounted on saidlever provided with a friction wheel arranged to be driven thereby and abrake, said friction wheel and brake arranged to alternately engage saidwheel when said lever is oscillated and when the hinged portion of saidsupport is in one position and to be separated from said driven wheelwhen said hinged portion is moved to another position and meansconnected with said lever for oscillating the same, said connectionfashioned to permit of the swinging of the motor away from said drivenwheel.

6. The combination with a sewing machine provided with a driven wheeland a table adjacent thereto, a support embodying a fixed and hingedportion, an oscillating lever mounted on said hinged portion, a motormounted on said lever provided with a friction wheel driven thereby anda brake, said friction wheel and brake arranged to be alternately throwninto and out of engagement with said wheel by the oscillations of saidlever, said hinged portion arranged to swing said motor away from saiddriven wheel when moved in one direction and means connected with saidlever for oscillating the same, said connection fashioned to permit ofthe swinging of the motor away from said wheel to permit said sewingmachine to be driven by the conventional treadle and belt.

7. The combination with the driven wheel of a sewing machine, of a motorprovided with a friction wheel and brake mounted for oscillatorymovement adjacent to said driven wheel and arranged when oscillated tobring said friction wheel and brake alternately into engagement withsaid driven bent end of said lever and an operating arm wheel, means foroscillating said lever, said means embodying a suitably-supported rockshaft, an actuating arm thereon and means for connecting said rock shaftwith said lever for oscillating said motor.

8. The combination with the driven wheel of a sewing machine, of ahinged support, a pivoted lever mounted on said support, a motorprovided with a friction wheel and a braking member mounted on saidlever, said friction wheel and braking member arranged to alternatelyengage said driven wheel whenever said lever is oscillated, said motorpositioned to one side of the pivot of said lever whereby the weight ofthe former will normally maintain said lever in a position to bring saidbraking member into engagement with said driven wheel, the opposite endof said lever horizontallycurved with one end thereof approximately inalinement with the axis of said hinged portion, a suitablysupported rockshaft one end of which is provided with a crank,

' means for connecting said crank with the for rotating said rock shaftand carried thereby.

9. The combination with the driven wheel of a sewing machine, of ahinged support, a pivoted lever mounted on said hinged support, a motormounted on said lever provided with a friction wheel and brake, each umy hand in presence of two subscribing Y witnesses.

IVILLIAM LENI-IART. lVitnesses C. E. I-IUMPHREY, GLENARA Fox.

